The I.P. HERCULES Integrated Project (High
Efficiency R&D on Combustion with Ultra
Low Emissions for Ships) is a large scale
cooperative project on marine engine R&D
supported by the European Commission and
the Swiss Federal Government. This Project
has been completed.

The HERCULES Project developed new technologies
to drastically reduce gaseous and particulate
emissions from marine engines and concurrently
increase engine efficiency and reliability,
hence reduce specific fuel consumption,
CO2 emissions and engine lifecycle costs.
These objectives were attained through
interrelated developments in thermodynamics
and mechanics of “extreme” parameter engines,
advanced combustion concepts, multistage
intelligent turbocharging, “hot” engines
with energy recovery and compounding, internal
emission reduction methods and advanced
aftertreatment techniques, new sensors
for emissions and performance monitoring,
adaptive control for intelligent engines.
Advanced process models and engineering
software tools have been developed, to
assist in component design. Prototype components
have been manufactured and rig-tested.
Engine experimental designs have been assessed
on testbeds to validate the new technologies
and confirm the achieved objectives. Full
scale shipboard testing of chosen systems
demonstrated the potential benefits of
next-generation marine engines.
The work was structured in 9 Workpackages
and 54 Subprojects. The Consortium consisted
of 43 partners led by the major engine
maker groups MAN and Wartsila and included
component suppliers, equipment manufacturers,
universities, research institutions and
shipping companies. The industrial partners
hold 80% of the world market in marine
engines and hence are the keepers of today’s
best-available-technology.
The project started in 2004 and finished
in 2007.